Legislation

It’s all about well-being …

There are 3 new pieces of legislation made in and for Wales and they all link together.

Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014

The Social Services and Well-Being (Wales) Act is a landmark piece of legislation for social care in Wales that will have implications for your work as a social care worker, health professional, support worker or voluntary sector worker. It became law in 2014 and came into force in April 2016. It modernises and brings together different pieces of social care law.

This new legal framework consists of three elements – the Act itself, which is already in place; the Regulations, which provide greater detail about the requirements of the Act; and the Codes of Practice, which give practical guidance about how it should be implemented. The Act covers adults (people aged 18 or over), children (people under the age of 18) and carers (adults or children who provide or intend to provide care and support).

The Act is built on the following core principles:

Voice and control – putting an individual and their needs at the centre of their care and support, with voice and control over the outcomes that will help them achieve well-being

Prevention and early intervention – being able to access advice and support at an early stage, to maintain a good quality of life, and reduce or delay the need for longer term care and support

Well-being – supporting individuals to achieve well-being in every part of their lives

Co-production – involving people in the design and delivery of support and services, and recognising the knowledge and expertise they can bring

Multi agency – strong partnership working between all agencies and organisations is essential to improve the well-being of individuals in need of care and support, and carers in need of support

The Social Services and Well-Being (Wales) Act 2014 has major implications for the way in which social services are delivered in Wales.

There are a range of learning materials being developed to support the implementation of the Social Services and Well-Being (Wales) Act, and the Care Council and Welsh Government are working together to make approved materials available through the Information and Learning Hub.

There are resources specifically targeted at those who are involved in delivering care and support, and focuses on the five key principles that underpin the Act. They aim to provide practical examples that will help you understand how the changes can be implemented in practice.

The Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016 provides a revised, streamlined framework for the regulation and inspection of social care services in Wales. It embeds the aims of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 and the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.

The Act is being introduced to improve the quality of care and support in Wales.
It will do this by:

strengthening protection

increasing accountability

giving a stronger voice to people who use care and support services.

5 principles underpin the new system of regulation and inspection:

Reflecting the changes brought about by the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014

Putting people at the centre of their care and support

Developing a coherent and consistent Welsh approach

Tackling provider failure

Responding quickly and effectively to new models of service and any concerns over the quality of care and support

The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act is about improving the social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales. It will make the public bodies listed in the Act think more about the long-term, work better with people and communities and each other, look to prevent problems and take a more joined-up approach. This will help us to create a Wales that we all want to live in, now and in the future.

Why do we need this?

Wales faces a number of challenges now and in the future, such as climate change, poverty, health inequalities and jobs and growth. To tackle these, we need to work together. To give current and future generations a good quality of life we need to think about the long term impact of the decisions we make. This law will make sure that our public sector does this.

To make sure we are all working towards the same vision, the Act puts in place seven well-being goals:

A prosperous Wales

An innovative, productive and low carbon society which recognises the limits of the global environment and therefore uses resources efficiently and proportionately (including acting on climate change); and which develops a skilled and well-educated population in an economy which generates wealth and provides employment opportunities, allowing people to take advantage of the wealth generated through securing decent work.

A resilient Wales

A nation which maintains and enhances a biodiverse natural environment with healthy functioning ecosystems that support social, economic and ecological resilience and the capacity to adapt to change (for example climate change).

A healthier Wales

A society in which people’s physical and mental well-being is maximised and in which choices and behaviours that benefit future health are understood.

A more equal Wales

A society that enables people to fulfil their potential no matter what their background or circumstances (including their socio economic background and circumstances).

A Wales of cohesive communities

Attractive, viable, safe and well-connected communities.

A Wales of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language

A society that promotes and protects culture, heritage and the Welsh language, and which encourages people to participate in the arts, and sports and recreation.

A globally responsible Wales

A nation which, when doing anything to improve the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales, takes account of whether doing such a thing may make a positive contribution to global well-being.